Lovin' From the Oven

Cornmeal Pancakes

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I have this irrational fear of test driving a car. In my 27 years of life, I’ve never done it… until last weekend. I don’t know why I’m scared of driving a brand new car that’s not mine. Actually, that’s exactly why I’m scared. Not only that, but there’s a stranger in the car dictating your moves! “Turn this way, go that way, step on the gas a little… feel the power! Now brake hard to see how responsive it is!”

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Yeah… I don’t like that.

My DH and I went out to lunch last weekend and wanted to walk around a bit afterwards. There were car dealerships all around, so we went in to browse. I ended up liking a car, and the pushy salesman brought out the manager before we left… twice. The manager did his schpeal and before I knew it, we were waiting for the salesman to bring the car around. How did that even happen?

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At this point, my DH was ecstatic because he knew how anti-test driving I was. I always told him that whenever the time came for me to get a new car, he would test drive the car and I’d just sit in the backseat to experience it. Same thing. My DH was not gonna have that.IMG_7043

I told the salesman that I didn’t want to go out for long… a little ride to get a feel for the car and that’s it! That’s exactly what we did. We probably drove for less than five miles and before I knew it, we were back in the parking lot. Thank goodness! It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. That’s how first experiences are… you just gotta jump the first hurdle.IMG_7056

Still, I don’t like doing it.

But pancakes, I will say yes to. This recipe from The Pioneer Woman is a little upgrade from your normal every day pancakes. The cornmeal really give a welcomed gritty texture. They’re also not sweet at all on their own, so maple syrup is a must.

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Cornmeal Pancakes

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cup (scant) All-purpose Flour
  • 1-1/2 cup Heaping Yellow Cornmeal
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 3 Tablespoons Baking Powder
  • 4 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 2-1/4 cups Whole Milk (more If Needed)
  • 2 whole Large Eggs
  • 3 teaspoons Vanilla
  • 4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted (I used olive oil)

Directions

  1. Mix together flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
  2. In a separate bowl, stir together the milk, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add melted butter and let the batter sit for a couple of minutes.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Once warm, drop 1/4 cup batter and cook until both sides are brown.
https://lovintheoven.com/cornmeal-pancakes/

Carrot and Kale Juice

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Did you guys ever jump onto the juicing bandwagon? I did for about a week before I decided it took too much time. I preferred to have my juice fresh daily, so making a ton and then storing it in the fridge wasn’t going to cut it for me. Not only that, but my machine was pretty bulky to be left on the kitchen counter all the time. For reference, I own the Omega J8006 masticating juicer.

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It surely is a wonderful machine that only leaves dry pulp behind. It’s very easy to clean, but there were a lot of parts. It’s also pretty darn heavy, but that could also mean I’m just weak. I think it’s a fun machine to pull out every once in a while as long as you have the storage space for it.

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The juices that I normally drink tend to be on the sweeter and fruitier side, so I wanted this one to be more vegetable heavy. Since vegetables don’t really taste delicious on their own, I added some lemon to cut down the bitterness and apples for the sweetness. Kale is really hard for me to keep down, so covering up the taste worked for me. How do people drink that stuff on its own? Blech! If the kale taste is still too strong for you, throw in some ginger to the mix. This one was a winner, winner, chicken dinner!

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Just make sure to thoroughly wash all of your fruits and vegetables before cutting them up and putting them into your machine. I did a half white vinegar/half water wash to make sure I got rid of all the bacteria. Or something.

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Carrot and Kale Juice

Ingredients

  • 5 oz kale
  • 3 carrots
  • 2 apples
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 cucumber

Directions

  1. Cut each fruit/vegetable into manageable pieces and put them into your juicer.
  2. Make sure to stir the liquid before drinking!
https://lovintheoven.com/carrot-and-kale-juice/

Roasted Asparagus

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I’m all about grilling during the summer, but my DH never gets around to it since he’s working during the weekdays and I make dinner. Yes, he’s in charge of the BBQ (and he doesn’t even eat veggies anyway, so he doesn’t care for grilled greens!). So instead of grilling my vegetables, I roast them in the oven instead. It’s the easiest thing ever! Toss your veggies with some olive oil, sea salt, and pepper, and then let it come together. IMG_5003

I can’t believe that I’ve never roasted asparagus before. I eat it all the time at restaurants and never thought twice about how easy it would be to make at home. I gobbled this batch right up out of the oven and never looked back. This makes a mighty fine lunch for me. IMG_4998

Don’t even bother buying those microwavable asparagus boxes from Trader Joe’s. This tastes much better and takes the same amount of time to prepare, just a longer time to cook. Plus, look how beautiful that green is!IMG_4995

You can do this with other vegetables as well: zucchini, squash, brussels sprouts… You could even add some parmesan cheese on top if you want something a little meatier.

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Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch of asparagus spears (however many you'd like)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Line a baking sheet with foil or a silpat. Lay out the asparagus on top.
  3. Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper on top.
  4. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
https://lovintheoven.com/roasted-asparagus/

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